Changing the Course of Biofuels Policy

Friends of the Earth has been working with a small coalition of fellow environmental organizations to change the direction that biofuels policy is going.  Our biofuels policy platform provides specific policy recommendations that would incentivise only biofuels that have a proven environmental benefit.

Platform (PDF)  |  Press Release (PDF)

Policy Platform

In order to develop truly renewable fuels that accomplish our goals and do not have unintended adverse impacts, concrete steps must be taken.

1.    Ensure that all policy incentives for renewable fuels, including mandates and subsidies, require attainment of minimum environmental performance standards for production and use, to ensure that publicly supported “renewable fuels” do not degrade our natural resources. 

2.    Restrict the RFS to fuel options that do not cause environmental harm, adverse human health impacts or economic disruption.

3.    Tie the biofuels tax credits to performance standards.

4.    Rebalance the U.S. renewable energy and energy conservation portfolio to reflect the relative contribution these options can make to reducing fossil fuel use, enhancing the environment, spurring economic development, and increasing energy security.

5.    Support research to improve the analysis of net climate impacts, net non-climate environmental impacts, commodity price impacts, and other social factors that are substantially affected by policies that promote biofuels.